


Kuch in Boots

by MeansToOffend (goodmorning)



Series: 31 in 31: NHL Fairy Tales [29]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Fairy Tale Retellings, Other, Tampa Bay Lightning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-02
Updated: 2017-10-02
Packaged: 2019-01-08 07:12:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12249516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodmorning/pseuds/MeansToOffend
Summary: “'Between themselves, my brothers can continue to make a living with their inheritances, but what can I do with just you?' Pally asked the cat. 'You may be an exceedingly intelligent cat, Kuch, but that’s not going to put food on the table - if I could even afford a table to put it on.''Do not worry,' the cat said, much to Pally’s surprise. 'Give me pair of boots and small bag, I get you food and money besides.'”





	Kuch in Boots

There was once a poor hockey player with three sons. Though he loved them all dearly, he was unable to leave them much but the rink he ran, his hockey gear, and the rink cat. Upon his death, therefore, his sons each took possession of one of these things, the oldest choosing the rink, the next taking the gear, and the youngest, who was called Pally, left with the cat.

“Between themselves, my brothers can continue to make a living with their inheritances, but what can I do with just you?” Pally asked the cat. “You may be an exceedingly intelligent cat, Kuch, but that’s not going to put food on the table - if I could even afford a table to put it on.”

“Do not worry,” the cat said, much to Pally’s surprise. “Give me pair of boots and small bag, I get you food and money besides.”

Pally did not see how this could help, but he had no other options. So he did as his cat requested.

Now, Kuch put on the boots and wore them gallantly, and he tied the bag around his neck and went into the forest, to a place where many rabbits lived. Though they fled at his approach, they soon returned, curious about what was in the bag around his neck. Kuch held still, playing dead, until four fat rabbits had entered the bag. Then he leapt up, pulling the bag closed, and dispatched the rabbits.

He took two of them to Pally, but the other two he took straight to the palace, bowing to the guards at the gate.

“Vitya, tell me that cat is not wear boots,” said one.

“You have problem with boots?” Kuch asked him.

“And you talk?” the other said. “Vasy, let’s let him in. Stammer will have an absolute fit.”

So the guards took Kuch to the throne room, and he bowed elabourately at the king. “Your Majesty, please accept gift of rabbits. My master, Lord Pally of Clearwater, send his compliments to you.”

King Steve was amused, and accepted the gift, and Kuch continued to bring gifts of small game over the next several months. Pally, meanwhile, began to sell some of the extra, and save up money until he could afford a table, and some skates besides.

At last, Kuch knew of a clear winter’s day when the king and his son, the loveliest prince in all the surrounding lands, would be driving by the pond Pally frequented. “Go skate,” he told him, “and follow lead I set.”

Pally agreed easily, for Kuch had yet to steer him wrong. While he was skating, the king did indeed pass by, and Kuch ran to the road, calling, “Help! My Lord Pally of Clearwater will freeze!” King Steve easily recognised the cat who had brought him so many gifts, and stopped the coach, sending several guards to retrieve Pally and bring him some of the king’s own warm clothes to wear.

“Well, I called out for help, but no-one was nearby to hear me call,” Pally explained, once he was attired more warmly and richly than he had ever been before. “They robbed me, and left me there on the lake, with only the skates on my feet.”

“That must have been terrible,” Prince Tyler said, taking Pally’s hand. “Why don’t you come with us and see if we can make you feel better?”

“My master prefer to entertain at his own home. I show you the way,” Kuch interrupted, and ran ahead of the coach. 

At last they arrived at a beautiful palace, and Kuch again poked his head into the carriage, ignoring the prince nearly sitting on Pally’s lap and Pally’s calling him “Johnny.” “I get palace ready, wait just one minute.”

Inside the palace lived a wicked little gremlin, who was well known to have terrified all those who lived on his land. The cat was therefore received kindly, for nobody had visited the gremlin in many years, and he was therefore very lonely.

“I hear,” said the cat, “you can be any animal, if you want to.”

“I can,” said the gremlin, and became a roaring lion. 

Kuch was not frightened, though. He said, thoughtfully, “I am impress. But no way you can go from lion to small animal, like mouse.”

“Of course I can,” came the response, and he did indeed become a mouse. Kuch pounced on him, eating him up before returning to the coach once more.

“Come,” said Kuch, and Pally and the king and prince all entered the palace together.

After a short time Pally and the prince were to be married. Pally came to Kuch the morning of the wedding, tears of joy brimming in his eyes. “Thank you, Kuch,” he said, and kissed the cat square on the nose.

A sudden burst of magic made him sneeze, and when he opened his eyes again it was no longer a cat before him but a man. Kuch opened his bright blue eyes, and turned them on his hands, and began to weep.

“I always think I never can be me again,” he managed, and Pally hugged him, holding him as he cried.

This was when Johnny walked in, and almost immediately turned around to walk back out again.

“Johnny, wait,” Pally said, arms still around his former cat. “It’s not what you think.”

“Yeah, what is it then?” the prince bit out.

“I was cat,” Kuch said, looking up suddenly. “Before that, Lord of St. Petersburg, but cursed to be cat.”

“Oh,” Johnny said. “Does that mean you’re responsible for the whole thing?”

“What do you mean, the whole thing?” Pally demanded.

“I’m not stupid, Pally, I can tell you haven’t always been a lord.”

“Yes, I do this,” Kuch said, beginning to come back to himself. “But he is lord now, whole and entire.”

“I didn’t say he wasn’t,” Johnny said, and paused, considering. “How long have you been in love with him?”

“Very not stupid,” Kuch replied, and Pally let go of his hands at last.

“You love me?”

“No, Pally, I help you out of goodness of heart. Yes, I love you.”

“So I’ll just be going, then,” Johnny said, edging towards the door. 

“Wait,” Pally and Kuch both said at once.

“I only just found out he’s not a cat, and I love you,” Pally said.

“My heart big, room for idiot lord and smart prince both,” said Kuch.

“Oh,” said Johnny. “Yeah, I guess we could give this a try.” And he joined them on the floor.

And so the three of them lived happily after.

**Author's Note:**

> \- The final line of the original story begins "The cat became a great lord," and I really couldn't help myself.  
> \- Two more days!


End file.
